...
The lovestruck man pants by the fireplace, grabbing two men to accompany him. Another calls to him from the shadows in an urgent hiss. The man in question recalls the last time that man had hissed at him. Something is seriously wrong. The man called Penguin hobbles to the dark, allowing his company to linger and admire which form of weaponry they'll utilize tonight.
"What is it, Zsasz?"
"That wasn't Mr. Nygma on the phone."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've been tapping the phones, you know."
Oswald lets an exasperated groan fall through his lips. "Yes, I know. I assigned that job to you."
"Right." He nods, eyes wide. "I was listening in and you, you are genuine. He's not. Mr. Nygma's voice has a bit of a perk in it, a twinkle, a riddle. This man did not. Who does that tell you he is?"
"Riddler." Oswald grunts. "He's let Riddler invade his body again. Damn. The killer in him outweighs the friendship Ed and I have."
"I know something else you aren't going to like, Mr. Penguin."
Oswald seethes silently and glares at the man. "What else is it, Zsasz?"
"How you lost it on National TV? Seeing your father's ghost? I've overheard several things and it seems to me that Mr. Nygma has had a role in it." He quickly corrects himself seeing Oswald tighten the grip of his cane. "Mr. Riddler. Mr. Riddler has had a role in it all."
"Damn. Thank you for clearing my head, Zsasz. It is so difficult to find good help. Come."
Oswald returns to the main area where his two companions are loyally awaiting his orders. "They've got him at Kane Chemicals. Remember, Ed's safety is all that matters. Whoever took his will pay, but only once Ed is back. Now, you two go on up there. I'll be there soon. Don't go in until I get there."
"Yes, Boss." The two agree.
Oswald then gestures for Victor to follow him to a back room where Gabe awaits. Oswald punches in the code for a certain secret drawer hidden beneath his desk. When he pulls out the object in question, Victor's eyes widen in disbelief.
"You've got a tuxedo? Forgive me, Mr. Penguin, but how will this help?"
"It's a bullet-proof tuxedo, Mr. Zsasz." Gabe replies for their boss. "We are adding blood packets in case someone decides to shoot him, it'll look real. It is all about presentation. Boss? Where are you going?"
"Kane Chemicals." He replies quick but softly as he shrugs on the outfit. "There's a river opening out behind the wire and rusted materials. He'll probably take me there, being logical and all. Be sure to stand on the sideline to reel me in after he leaves."
"Who is it this time, Boss?"
"Mr. Ny" Victor starts.
"Shut it." Oswald warns with malice caught in his breath.
Gabe understands though. Silently, the three pile into the car and head for Kane Chemicals. Gabe and Victor linger behind while Oswald strides up to the other car sitting idle, and taps on the passenger side window. He builds up his breathing as if he had been crying uncontrollably. His men stare at him and at each other, wondering slightly if they should be fearing for their safety.
"Ed!" He shouts, breaking the door wide open. His men trail him. "Edward!"
He strains his voice to seem desperate. A distant siren wails and Oswald thinks about when he was simply a lowly umbrella boy. The man he had been searching for appears in view. Oswald takes into account how he looks and his face completely devoid of emotion. He knows Victor is correct. The monster inside of him has taken over. Oswald swallows, remembering his ruse. Hopefully, if he still acts in love - which to a bit of an extent, he is - the real Ed will see it and they can be together. If not, then Plan B will be in effect.
"Ed." He pants, forcing out a choked gasp. "Are you all right? Tell me you are all right."
"I'm fine, Oswald."
He speaks in such a clear, concise voice. All the more, it reminds Oswald that Riddler has taken over. When he had been hysterically worried for the act, he had been half-hugging him, but really just searching for a weapon. He'd found the gun in his back, probably for Oswald's men. Still, he keeps his face steady, emotions running wild. He laughs.
"Of course you are." He drops into his business-like scowl. "Where are they? Who dared to think they could lay their hands on you!"
"I'm alone."
Oswald has to blink back nonexistent tears. He reminds himself of the tux he is wearing and he forces himself to laugh again. He forces himself to pretend that everything is alright. That nothing has changed.
"Oh, you escaped."
Ed's face doesn't change as Oswald prattles on. He laughs again, this time to keep himself from crying.
"You did. Didn't you, you rascal?"
"Did you bring anyone else?"
Ed's voice cuts through like a knife. Oswald puts on his fearful face. He swallows the thick air and gets settled for something dangerous.
"What? Why? No, uh.."
He makes a point of turning around so he doesn't need to witness his best friend grab the weapon from behind. He jumps at the right moments, as the two men Oswald had with him fall to the ground.
"Just wondering if I was gonna have to reload."
Oswald suppresses the bile rising in his throat. He hadn't cared much for the men with him. The point is this is Ed.
"I don't understand."
He doesn't understand how Ed could just move over and let Riddler steal the spotlight. It makes him a little angry how easy Ed's emotions can be switched around to make Oswald seem like the bad guy.
"I know." His eyes are bitter as his lips interweave to a not-so-true smile. "That's been half the fun."
Oswald has to continue with the charade. He backs away a little, not looking Ed in the eyes. He thinks of the coldest places he's ever been and starts to shiver and stutter.
"I-I'm sorry. I.. I.. What is happening? I... You weren't kidnapped?"
He tries to blink back tears and then thinks that is what the situation calls for. He shudders his breath, ready for the sentence Ed is about to speak. Victor was right.
"Not unless you count kidnapping yourself."
Oswald has a lot to think about while Ed thinks he is successful in his scheme. When Oswald feels the final tugs and comes to, he is strapped to the remains of a totaled car with a vat of acid dangling above him. He grunts to alert Ed that he is awake.
"Recognize it?"
Oswald glares at his best friend in a futile attempt to convey some actual emotions. The bespectacled man instead tsks lightly with a shrug.
"Oh, why should you? I doubt you did the deed yourself."
It clicks in Oswald's mind that these are the remains of Isabelle's car. The prey. The bait.
"That car belonged to Isabella."
Oswald tries to use words then, to bring Ed out from the backseat. "Ed, whatever you've heard.."
Riddler grunts, slamming his arms down in anger. "I know it was you, Oswald."
He begins to pant, showing true emotion, and starting to confuse Oswald. The two sides of Ed are obviously battling it out whenever Isabelle is mentioned. "Isabella was my everything, and you took her from me."
He stares over to Oswald but the other man notices how he avoids looking into his eyes. "And now I've taken everything from you."
Oswald involuntarily lets out a low growl. "Well, almost everything. You still have your life."
Another growl. "But that ends tonight."
"But my father appeared to me." Oswald forces himself to continue. He has heard it from Victor and he needs to hear it from Nygma, almost like a punishment.
Nygma groans, angered for having to explain his plans. His riddles are much simpler.
"I saw him."
"No. You.." Nygma massages his temples. "Saw a man that I met in Indian Hill that does killer impersonations."
Oswald doesn't look convinced, but inside he is resigned. Ed doesn't notice this and feels the need to continue explaining to his former best friend.
"You see, Oswald.. How do I put this? Ghosts aren't real!"
Oswald blanches, not really expecting Ed to yell. That isn't his forte. He swallows another pit of bile and continues on. He feels he needs to be punished for letting Ed become Riddler.
"But me father's remains.. You stole them from his grave?"
"Yup."
The callous way he answers unnerves Oswald more than the ingenious trap placed out. He hates how Ed has turned out but figures his best bet is to keep him talking.
"Don't worry. He's at peace now." Somehow Oswald very seriously doubts this. "I gently placed his remains inside a Dumpster behind a Chinese restaurant."
Oswald chews on the inside of his jaw. There is a small button on the inside of the cuff of his tux. He could press it so easily and either Victor or Gabe would crash in, killing Ed instantly. What happened to the beautiful pianist in the loft?
"You were angry. I understand." Oswald notices a patrol cop not too far away, coming this way. "I even forgive you, but-but killing me is not the way."
Ed's head snaps up at Oswald's words. "So you admit you killed Isabella?"
A little bit of anger seeps out. "Fine. Is that what you want?"
"Yes!" Ed screams.
"I confess." Oswald shrugs. "I had her killed. But guess what?"
He still loves Ed, but the way the man is reacting to pieces of information is also making Oswald want to kill him. Ed doesn't answer but glances up with a raised eyebrow.
"You should thank me because we both know what would have happened if I hadn't."
Ed jumps up, screaming in an accusatory tone. "Yes! I could have lived a life with the woman I loved. I could have been happy."
"No, Ed." Oswald answers in a crisp tone. "You would've killed her."
Ed gasps. He hadn't been expecting that. The entire time, Oswald has been acting so innocent, like he hadn't known any of this was going to happen. Something clicks in Ed's mind, that Oswald actually likes the torture.
"Just like you did the other one!" Oswald's shout brings him back to reality. "You couldn't have helped it! And afterward, you would've hated yourself!"
That statement pangs in Ed's chest, but he hasn't gone this far just to chicken out now. His human side is warbling, but his monster side is stronger than ever.
"I did it for love."
Oswald's voice is smaller this time, a defeated tone. Ed swivels back.
"What?"
Oswald lets a few tears escape as he laughs pitifully. "I did it because I love you. You should know that."
Having everything all out in the open partially makes Ed feel better, but it mostly just makes things more confusing and complicated. Riddler steps in once more.
"Shut up!" In a quieter tone, he explains to Oswald. "Love is about sacrifice. It's about putting someone else's needs and happiness before your own."
Oswald decides this is well enough a deathbed. "Ed, please.."
"'Cause the truth is, Oswald, you would sacrifice anyone to save your own neck." He pauses. "Even me." Like a switch, Riddler is back in control. "Now, if you'll look above us, you will see a cauldron of highly corrosive acid, which is currently being held in place by this chain. When the ice melts, the chain comes loose, the vat of acid tips. You get the idea."
"Ed." Oswald whispers. The patrol cop must have passed them over. "Please, no, please. I can change."
"Say you're right. Say you're right. I.." Ed starts up.
"The fact that I love you proves that I can change." Oswald begs him. "Just give me a chance."
"You know as well as I that a man facing death will say anything to save his skin." Ed corrects him, slowly slipping back into the Riddler mask. "And you won't change, because you can't. Now, I was going to have you say hello to Isabella."
Oswald starts choking on the thick air.
"But I think you, are going. to a very different place."
Oswald groans, thumping against the hood of the car.
"Goodbye, Oswald."
"Ed!" Oswald half-growls and half-begs. His friend isn't even going to stick around and watch him die. "Ed!" In this moment, Oswald labels his friend a coward. "Ed!"
Oswald is helplessly strapped to the car devoid of any mechanisms to cut free. Victor and Gabe watch Nygma leave without their boss, and they hear him shouting. They don't budge, however, due to not being signaled. Gabe calls a couple of Cobblepot's overenthusiastic lackeys to trail Nygma in their place. Nearly half an hour later, another patrolman is on the grounds. He seems to hear Oswald's pained screams and shuffles in. He shines his torch around the area, from Oswald and the car to the acid above him.
"Oh, oh, thank God. There's not much time. Cut me loose! Hurry!"
"What's that car doing in here?" He asks instead.
Cobblepot's grateful smile drops to a disbelieving frown. "It doesn't matter. Cut me loose."
"You-you look familiar."
"Yes. I'm.." He thinks a moment and then grins in the most charming way possible in his current agonizing position. "I happen to be the mayor of Gotham. So free me, and I promise there will be a handsome reward."
The man takes another look around and then lets out a fangirl-type giggle. "Oh, it-it really is you, the mayor of Gotham in the flesh."
"Yes!" Oswald exclaims, close to tears. "Now stop standing there and get me out of here."
"I don't.." He hesitates. "I don't know. What did you do?"
"What?" Oswald hangs his head, whispering to himself. "Ah, I'm gonna die here listening to this moron." He then flashes a quick smile with a steel glare. "Just cut the ropes!"
"Okay, okay!"
He cuts one leg rope and then the other. Oswald winces at each snap, feeling more than pessimistic about the situation. The patrolman cuts the rope to one arm. The car creaks and the rope weakens. The patrolman cuts the other and Oswald dives off the car, shoving the man to the ground. As he springs off, the acid falls, destroying what is left of the car. Oswald shudders, but he still wants to fix things. He still loves Ed, but somehow, he also hates him at the same time. Leaving the junior cop unconscious on the ground, Oswald heads directly to the meeting place, out of the way from prying eyes.
"What did he do, Boss?" Gabe questions.
"Acid over Isabelle's car. Strapped. Any word on the house?"
"Taken over, Mr. Penguin." Zsasz answers. "By Gilzean and his girl."
"Alright. I have a sinking feeling Ed's working with them. I'm heading out there. If memory serves, Ed feels in control by the river. He will most likely try to kill me by the river closest to Barbara's. She seems to be at the center of these things. Guarded and all. You know the place?"
"We'll be there, Mr. Penguin." Zsasz nods.
"To reel you in after the kill." Gabe smirks.
Oswald takes the car and drives like a maniac to his home. Putting on a show of expectance, he makes a lot of noise coming in, yelling for his bodyguard.
"Gabe! We have to find Ed Nygma and kill him! Gabe, where..."
His windpipes are cut off by Tabitha's whip tightly wound about his throat. He is forced to face the two intruders previously mentioned and Oswald has to remember his game.
"Your monkey's cleared out." Tabitha notifies him. "And what's that you were saying about Nygma?"
"Looks like we're not the only ones trying to kill that guy." Butch chuckles. "Now, where is he?"
Oswald hisses at them, obligatory to follow them to the dining room where he killed his stepmother. Tabitha retracts her weapon of choice.
"I'm sorry, what?" Butch asks faux genuinely.
"Speak up." She adds.
"What, are you doing, in my house?" Oswald pants out, focusing first on the plan and second on breathing.
"Whatever we want." Tabitha smirks. "You're finished, Oswald. Now, where's Nygma?"
"I don't know."
"Think." She leers at him.
"What?"
"I said think." She growls.
"Oh, I heard you. I'm just surprised you knew the word."
Just because he wants to get revenge on Ed doesn't mean he wants to kill him. What Oswald really wants to do is kidnap him, torture him and show him what he would get for dating Oswald. He hates him yet loves him. Tabitha chuckles.
"Speaking of words, any last ones?"
Oswald watches her with a careful eye, sure that she's got someone else calling the shots. Sure enough, Butch grunts.
"Babs said not to kill him until we have Nygma."
"I don't work for Barbara Kean."
Butch chuckles, but Tabitha puts a stop to that.
"Stop pretending that you are anything but muscle!"
Her glare causes him to bring his attention back to Oswald, who is smirking gleefully.
"Yes, you used to be someone in Gotham, but those days are past!"
The whip returns around Oswald's neck. He grunts and gasps for air as Tabitha closes in on him. She leans in, positive to gain some form of reaction.
"Remember when I put a knife in your mom's back? That was awful, wasn't it? Her crying, bleeding out. You just holding her as she died. You never did anything about it."
"Yet." He gasps out.
"Nah." She clicks her tongue. "You had your chance to kill me."
"Stop turning us against each other." He chokes out a little less with Tabitha mildly releasing her grip.
"We're taking him with us." She turns to Butch.
"Oh, if you think I'm going anywhere with you.." Oswald grunts.
Butch hits him and he falls to the ground. Butch looks proud until Tabitha groans and reminds him of an important detail.
"You realize you have to carry him now."
"Son of a bitch!"
When Oswald can move freely and breathe without restriction again, he is facing three enemies. Butch and Tabitha are at the table, and Barbara Kean is smirking down at Oswald. He shakes his head with a laugh in his eyes.
"I suppose I underestimated you, Barbara."
"It's the curse of great beauty." She giggles.
"How did it go?" He speaks aloud. "You put together what happened to Ed's librarian, turned him against me."
"Honestly, wasn't to hard."
He resists the urge to roll his eyes. "And then, together, you hatched a plan to destroy everything I made and kill me?"
"Pretty much." She nods appreciatively. "And brother, did you ever take the bait."
He laughs a little. "Well, I hope you're happy at the head of the table."
"You know, the table is more or less littered with dead old dudes, but, hey, it's a place to grow."
Oswald puts two-and-two together easily, but also figures what Nygma must think. "And now you got what you want, you don't need Ed anymore."
"Uh-uh."
She laughs and Oswald quietly chuckles. "My, my, it didn't take you long to turn on each other."
She smiles flirtatiously. "You know, I think of it as a limited partnership that needs dissolving."
"So. I help you find Ed. Hmm, things go better for me? I don't.. you kill me? That about it?"
"Yeah."
Oswald sighs heavily. Barbara has no trouble rolling her eyes.
"Look, you're going to call Ed, tell him you're alive, tell him.. Oh, I don't care. But find out where he is."
"Why don't you just call him?" Oswald crosses his arms.
"Because he's not stupid. He knows now that you're no longer the head of the underworld or anything else, we don't need him anymore. It is our time to rule."
Cobblepot scoffs. "You understand if I feel compelled to refuse?"
Butch and Tabitha pull Barbara to the side. Butch claims he can get the truth out in five minutes, while Tabitha cuts him down by saying she can do the same in three. The two bicker like an old married couple and finally Barbara has had enough.
"Will the two of you shut up?!" The three turn to Oswald, Barbara speaking still. "Give up Nygma, save your own ass. Live to love another day. Hey?"
"Wow." Oswald remarks.
"What's going on?" She cocks his head. "You have a weird look on your face. Like, weirder than normal."
"You're right." Oswald sighs. "I should want him dead."
"Should?" She gasps. "Oswald... you loved him, and he betrayed you."
"Actually, I don't know that I did." He answers instead. "Love him. Not really."
"What?"
"Ed was right. I thought I loved him. because he saw me as no one had since my mother. But I killed Isabelle.."
"Pretty sure her name is Isabella, but go on."
He does, as though she hadn't interrupted. "Because I wouldn't share him. Ed said love is sacrifice. I should have been able to sacrifice my happiness for his. I couldn't. But I'm ready now." He breathing gets frantic, excited even. "I. Won't. Call. Ed. I won't let you hurt him!"
"So, you'd rather die than give up the man who tried to kill you?"
He uncontrollably begins laughing. "I would! Isn't that crazy?"
"Yes."
Ed's voice is so cold and clear, but it makes Oswald's heart take a leap. He gasps as Ed walks into the room, nodding his head in disbelief.
"It is."
Barbara turns to the man who has decided to join them. "Guess you're not as smart as you thought you were. He didn't give you up after all."
"You're in this together." Oswald voices the confirmation of his thoughts. "But why?"
"Because I didn't want to just take what you had." Nygma explains, still unsure of why Oswald hadn't given him up. "I wanted to take what you believed. I wanted you to die knowing... that you were incapable of loving another person."
"But I can." Oswald's voice warbles, breathing frantic again. This hadn't been the plan. "I just proved that, right?" He lets out an uncontrollable laugh. "Now does that mean I passed?" His frantic laughing becomes almost a cackle. "Ed?"
"I..Don't know what it means." He sighs, needing to be alone with his thoughts. He was so sure this would be over, but now his alternate sides are fighting again.
After a while, Nygma makes his decision. He isn't sure which side of him he is, but he leaves the building. Oswald is behind him, being shoved by Butch and Tabitha. When they arrive to the riverside, Oswald's eyes flash around and he just barely makes out Gabe and Victor, still on the prowl. Butch and Tabitha leave, thankfully not noticing the mindsweep. Oswald is positioned between the river and Nygma holding a gun.
"Ed.. I love you. I know you believe that now." He racks his brain for a few last-ditch things that could possibly save them. "So you need to listen to me when I tell you by doing this.. It will change you."
"I've killed before, Oswald." He again doesn't look in his friend's eyes.
"Not like this." Cobblepot protests. "This won't be a crime of passion or self-
preservation. This will be the cold-blooded murder of someone you love."
"I don't love you."
Again, he doesn't meet his eyes. Oswald is frustrated. If he is shot here, Plan B will commence. Oswald doesn't actually want that to happen.
"You need me, Edward Nygma." He responds carefully. "Just as I need you. You cannot have one without the other."
"You killed Isabella." Ed wills himself not to cry.
"The point is.."
"That is the point!" He tries not to scream. "You can't talk your way out of this, Oswald. I have wanted you to suffer as I've suffered. You killed her, so you die."
Oswald knows there is nothing he can do or say to change Ed's mind, so he lets his anger vent out. He staggers toward Ed, harshly gripping the front of his shirt.
"When I met you, you were a nervous, jittery loser. You were nothing. I created Edward Nygma. And I am the only one in the world who truly sees you as you are. Who you can still becomes. You can't do this."
Nygma is at a loss for words at this confession and Oswald loosens his grip.
"Ed, are you listening to me?"
"I'm listening."
Oswald could swear he hears Ed's voice break as he shoves Oswald off him. He cocks the gun and Oswald takes in a large breath.
"Say something."
"I loved her, Oswald." His eyes show confusion and determination. "And you killed her."
The gunshot rings out and Ed shoves Oswald off the side, and into the water. As before, Ed cannot stick around to watch his only friend die. He lets out a gasp over what he's done, and then he turns away and leaves.
...
Okay, so all that happened. I'm going to try my best to upload the next chapter within the next week. Don't quote me on that. Please, review.